Armando J. Gonzalez, Jr.

On January 14, 2023, Armando Gonzalez, Jr., passed away peacefully at home in Austin, TX in the loving arms of his wife, Cruz Gonzalez. He was also surrounded with prayer by his sister-in-law, Maria Aguilar, and brother-in-law, Jerry Aguilar. A Rosary will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church on Friday, January 20, 2023, at 6 pm. Funeral Mass will be on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 2 pm at St. Mary Catholic Church with interment to follow at Oak Hill Cemetery. Armando was born to his loving and proud parents, Armando and Concepcion Gonzalez on December 27, 1955, at 8:43 am at Mercy Hospital of Laredo, TX by Dr. R. Lowry. He was welcomed by his only sibling, Patricia Gonzalez Ramirez. Armando was born two days after the warmest Christmas recorded in Texas. Laredo, TX reached 91 degrees that day. Armando was baptized at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on March 11, 1956. He received his first communion at Guadalupe Church on May 12, 1963. Armando grew up in Laredo, TX, and graduated from Nixon High School of Laredo. He then attended Aldo Jr. College and graduated from Laredo Junior College and University also in Laredo. While in college, Armando participated in drama and performed in plays at the LJC Arena theatre and Laredo Junior College. He performed in the play Ted Tiller's Count Dracula where Armando was cast as the main character, "Count Dracula". He was also cast in "The Prisoner of Second Avenue". He performed the character Mel Edison in the play "El Prisoner De La Segunda Avenida", also cast as the main character. After college, he joined the US Air Force and completed basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, and was assigned to Keesler AFB in Mississippi. While in the Air Force, he received technical training in the school of applied aerospace sciences at Keesler AFB in Mississippi. His parents received a signed letter from Winfield W. Scott, Jr., Major General, USAF Commander informing them of his progress and specifying how proud the USAFC was in having him as part of the United States Air Force Family. After completing the training at the school of applied aerospace sciences he was sent to Vietnam during the war and worked closely with Generals and the Commander in Chief. Upon completing his time in the USAF he was honorably discharged on March 7, 1977. Afterward, Armando traveled to other states to adapt to and explore new surroundings, engage with different people and cultures and embrace new adventures and share his experiences with family and friends. As a teenager, Armando started his first business "The Music Express" providing music for parties and events. He was the DJ and worked the sound system alongside his cousin, Danny Wise. He was a bank teller at Laredo National Bank while living in Laredo and was employed at Carrillo and Company, The International Bridge as an import dispatcher, and briefly at Manpower. He opened his second business, Craig Venetian Blinds Company, as owner and chief operating officer and overlooked and managed all aspects of the business. In 1978, Armando moved to San Antonio and worked at Finance One Company, AKA, Termplan, MFGS Hanover Trust as Assistant manager in the collection and loan department until October 1985. In 1985, Armando moved to Austin, TX which he would call home, and began a career in the furniture industry and started another company called Computer Recycling Warehouse which specialized in upgrades, repairs, service, and parts of computers and laptops. Armando was employed by El Mundo Spanish Newspaper, a funeral home mausoleum company, and Crown Furniture. While employed at Crown he held several different management positions and later transitioned to sales associate until the company closed. In 1996, Armando was employed by the Roomstore as a sales consultant. To further expand and obtain more experience and obtain in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the furniture business including his knowledge of the building and creating of furniture and mattresses. He was also employed by Weberg Furniture, The Roomstore, Rooms to Go, Ashley Furniture, and Star Furniture as Senior Sales Associate and Living Spaces. Armando was well-loved by the furniture industry and had a strong work ethic, was dedicated, hard-working persevered, and was a loyal employee. He valued the customers and their needs and ensured they were well taken care of and provided great customer service to all customers especially the customers that no other sales associate wanted to assist because they didn't appear to afford top-quality furniture. Armando was always willing to the customer and managed to sell them the furniture they believed they couldn't afford and put smiles on their face. Armando was a top-notch sales associate wherever he was employed and earned several awards for the amount of sales and quality customer service because he valued all customers. Armando was married to Cruz Velasquez Gonzalez in 1989 in Austin, TX. From the first moment, they met they both knew they had met the person they would be spending the rest of their life with. The love they had for each other was immense, no words were needed for the others to see the love they had for each other. They had many wonderful years together and were happily married for over 33 years and resided in Austin, TX. Armando was known for his intelligence, sense of humor, charisma, outgoing personality, kind heart, and friendly and compassionate soul. He was always willing to help those in need and enjoyed spending time with his beloved wife, Cruz traveling, working on different home projects, and experiencing new adventures and places. He especially enjoyed their vacations to Hawaii, Disneyland, Port Aransas, Las Vegas, Florida, and getting together with family and friends taking the boat out on the water, going on a segway ride in downtown Austin and loved the Dallas Cowboys. He was preceded in death by his father, Armando Gonzalez, Sr.; his mother, Concepcion Garza Gonzalez; several unless and aunts and his niece, Julia Maria Aguilar. He will be greatly missed by his loving family and friends and will always be remembered in their hearts and the memories he has left behind. We are sincerely grateful to the many family and friends who have given us support and comfort during this difficult loss.